Let-off mechanism for novelty fabric looms



Patented Sept. 8 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOACHIM GIARDINO, OF WEST NEW YORK,NEW JERSEY LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR NOVELTY FABRIC LOOMS Application filedDecember 24, 1929. Serial No. 416,259.

This invention relates to let-off mechanisms for looms and particularlyin the weaving of what are known as novelty fabrics, and particularlyfor velvet pile weaves of plain or fancy designs or a combination ofplain and fancy designs; and the object of the invention is to provide amechanism of the class specified which may be built into and constitutea part of a loom of conventional design, said mechanism having means forcontrolling and regulating the discharge of the warp threads and forregulating the tension of said threads as fed to the weaving machine insuch manner as to compensate for both plain and fancy design fabrics; afurther object being to provide means for intermittently feeding thewarp threads from the warp beam, said means involving a friction rollerand means for aug -tomatically stopping the feed of the warp thread whenthe slackening loop of said thread becomes relatively large; a furtherobjectbeing to provide means for straightening a cluster of warp threadsprior to their transmission to the weaving machine; and with these andother objects in view, the invention consists in a mechanism of theclass and for the purpose specified which is simple in construction,efficient in use and which is constructed as hereinafter described andclaimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the 5 separateparts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference charactersin each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the several parts of myimproved mechanism and indicating the use thereof; and,

Fig. 2. is a detail plan view of a part of the construction shown inFig. 1.

In the drawing I have indicated at 5 a frame which may be attached to orconstitute a part of the framework of the weav ing machine and supportedin suitable bearings 6 in said frame is a transverse shaft 7 on which ismounted a friction drive drum 8 having a rubber or other friction facing8a.

To one end of the shaft 7 is attached a pick wheel 9 inwardly of whichis arranged a brake wheel 10 around which passes a strap or belt 11attached to the frame 5 as seen at 12 and from the free end of which 'issupported a plurality of weights 13.

The frame 5 or the bearings 6 thereon include upwardly directed guiderails 14 upon which the projecting ends of a shaft 15 of a warp beam 16is adapted to rest in supporting the warp threads 17 Wound on said beamupon the surface of the friction drive drum 8 in the manner clearly seenin Fig. 1. Straps 18 are employed in conjunction with the guide rails llto prevent accidental displacement of the beam, and the upper ends ofsaid rails arenotched as seen at 19 .to support the beam out ofengagement with the drum 8'whenever desired. 7

Pivoted to a downwardly directed extension 20 on the frame 5 as seen at21 is a lever 22 to the free end of which is connected a link 23 whichalso connects with the jack of the dobby of the weaving machine so thatintermittent movement is transmitted to the lever to move a pawl 24adjust-ably pivoted to the lever as seen at 25 and normally inengagement with the teeth of the pick wheel 9 to impart intermittentrotary movement to said wheel. The pawl 24 is normally held inengagement with the wheel 9 by means of a weight 26 adjustably supportedon an arm 27 constituting part of the pawl 24. It will be understoodthat a relatively large number of threads are taken off from the beamand these threads may be handled singly or in multiple as may bedesired.

' In one use of the invention, the threads are passed over a bar 28 andthen around cross rods 29 and over another bar 30 constituting part ofa. straightening device 31 which is held stationary in this particularuse of the invention with the bar 30 arranged in the position seen inFig. 1. The warp threads 17 extend from the bar 30 as seen at 17a to theweaving machine. This method of feeding the warp threads is designedprimarily for use in the weaving of plain fabrics but when it is desiredto weave what are termed novelty fabrics having predetermined designsarranged in the finished prodis passed a cord bBllTBQx-Whld].passesiaround another pulley on a shaft 41 driven by or in operativeconnection with arotatable shaft of the machine.

The straightening device is used primarily whenclusters of .warp threads.are fed through each of, .the eyes .32, three of said clusters beingindicated at. 17?) in Fig; 2 of the drawing. Lhaveifound-that there-is atendency to develop a twist in the clusters of threads and the: device31 and rods 35 and 36. operate to. unravel thez twisted, threads topermit .them itopbe fed separately to .the machine as indicated at 170insaid-figure.

.The rotationof .the device 31- .which isin theadirectionw of. .the.arrow: a causes the twisted, threads to. be unraveled by virtue of.,the.intermittent engagement ,of :the rods 35 .and. 36 therewith whichtend toconstantly. feed back. inthe. adirection of .the rings 32 thetwistedportion of the threads. Mlhile a .portionof. the threads may betwisted intermediate rtlienseparate .rods 35. and 36, the rodv assumingthe position. shown to the right ofEigfi. 1, will immediately take upand feed back the. twisted threads as they. are drawn through: saidstraighteningzdevice andsover said rods, it; .being understood that therods rotate: about. the, axis 37.

In .thenprocessrof weaving, therseparate threads. or clustersof threadspassed through the .seriesof, rings 32 which are provided, will .beextended into loops. of different depths, depending upon .theparticular. type of design beingiformedrzin..thefabric, and whenthese.loops become-y extended in .the manner indicated in? full. lines::in. 1. of thedrawing, ,the threads will engage,v atransverse bar42of adetector :orlautomatic release :device, l3securedto a rocker shaft 44having an arm:4c5,. the free end-of which is connected with. thepawl,24L-bymeansv of; a linkAG.

.llihen the threads. engage .thmbar 42, .the

detector, 43 is movedtothe lefttodisenga-ge the pawl 24-from thepickiwheelz and this operation is performedagainst theweight tension1.26, thus, stopping the .feed ofthe warp threads from the beam 16 and.allowing the threads to be drawn "into, the .machine by. raising the.rings 32. agair-istr the tension oftheir-weights 341 untilsuch; time as.the detector, .has beeni released. to again permit the. pawl; 24; tomove intoengagement .-.wi-th. the pickwheel to permit. the rotation:there- 7 rings 32 as. may be desired. This creel warp is used primarilyin producing fancy designsnwherc the take up variesito an unlimiteddegreewith respect .to the separate .end or; group of. ends of ,the.warp. lVhile the creel warp-may be used. independently,. it

mayalso-be. used in. conjunction with the.

warp 17 in producing some designsor forms in the resulting product.

- It.-;will be understood. that various types and sizes of pick wheelsmay be employed in. the. ;mechanism,.. and .to compensate fortheedifferent size wheels, the pawl 24 is rendered. adjustable withrespect :to. theulever 22. The useoflwheels ofdifferent sizes willgovern. the particular type of merchandise being woven, especially withirespectto short piles and higher piles.

ltwill be understood thathw-hile. I have diagrammatically illustratedone formnof mechanism for carrying my :invention into effect, that Iamnot: necessarily ,limitedto:

the specific stnictural.v arrangement herein shown and .descr1bed, and.variousv changes therein and modifications thereof 1 maybe madewithinathe scope :offlthe. appended claims without departing from thespiritof my invention or. sacrificing its. advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what. 1' claim; as new and .desire.to secure .by Letters Patent, is:

1.. "A. let-off mechanism, for weaving -.ma-.

chines comprising a pick wheehafriction feed drum rotatable .bysaidwheeha warp beam, means; for supporting said beam .to rest bygravity upon said-drum, a. lever-in operative engagement with the, jack.of? .the dobby ofthe machine, a .pawl' on said lever and normally linengagement with said. wheel whereby in themovement of said.lever,:-intermittent. rotary movement. is imparted .to

said wheel and drum to discharge the. warp threads from, said .beam, andtensional means engaging the threads fed from. said .warp beam.

2., A, let-off mechanism for weaningmachines comprising a gpick wheel, africtionfeed drum: rotatable by said wheel, a warp beam, means forsupporting said beam to rest, .by gravity uponsaid idr-um, .a lever: in

operative engagement with the jackof the dobbyof. the machine, a 'pawlon saidlalever and normally in engagement with said wheel whereby in themovement of said lever, intermittent rotary movement is imparted to saidwheel and drum to discharge the warp threads from said beam, tensionalmeans engaging the threads fed from said warp beam, and said meanscomprising weighted rings through which the warp threads are adapted topass to control and regulate the tension of said threads fed into theweaving machine.

3. A let-off mechanism for weaving machines comprising a pick wheel, afriction feed drum rotatable by said wheel, a warp beam, means forsupporting said beam 'to rest by gravity upon said drum, a lever inoperative engagement with the jack of the dobby of the machine, a pawlon said lever and normally in engagement with said wheel whereby in themovement of said lever, intermittent rotary movement is imparted to saidwheel and drum to discharge the warp threads from said beam, tensionalmeans engaging the threads fed from said warp beam, said meanscomprising weighted rings through which the warp threads are adapted topass to control and regulate the tension of said threads fed into theweaving machine, and a straightening device interposed between saidrings and the machine for unraveling twisted threads prior to theirtransmission into the machine.

4. A let-off mechanism for weaving machines comprising a pick wheel, afriction feed drum rotatable by said wheel, a warp beam, means forsupporting said beam to rest by gravity upon said drum, a lever inoperative engagement with the jack of the dobby of the machine, a pawlon said lever and normally in engagement with said wheel whereby in themovement of said lever, intermittent rotary movement is imparted to saidwheel and drum to discharge the warp threads from said beam, tensionalmeans engaging the threads fed from said warp beam, said meanscomprising weighted rings through which the warp threads areadapted topass to control and regulate the tension of said threads fed into theweaving machine, a straightening device interposed between said ringsand the machine for unraveling twisted threads prior to theirtransmission into the machine, said straightening device comprisingspaced rods rotatable about a fixed axis, and means in operativeconnection with the machine for rotating said rods.

5. A let-off mechanism for weaving machines comprising a pick wheel, afriction feed drum rotatable by said wheel, a warp beam, means forsupporting said beam to rest by gravity upon said drum, a lever inoperative engagement with the jack of the dobby of the machine, a pawlon said lever and normally in engagement with said wheel whereby in themovement of said lever, intermittent rotary movement is imparted to saidwheel and drum to discharge the warp threads from said beam, tensionalmeans engaging the threads fed from said warp beam, and a creel warpfrom which warp threads are adapted to be fed through said tensionalmeans and into the machine.

6. A let-off mechanism for weaving machines comprising a pick wheel, afriction feed drum rotatable by said wheel, a warp beam, means forsupporting said beam to rest by gravity upon said drum, a lever inoperative engagement with the jack of the dobby of the machine, a pawlon said lever and normally in engagment with said wheel whereby in themovement of said lever, intermittent rotary movement is imparted to saidwheel and drum to discharge the warp threads from said beam, tensionalmeans engaging the threads fed from the warp beam to regulate thetension of said threads fed into the weaving machine, and means actuatedby the warp threads when in predetermined position for moving andsupporting said pawl in inoperative position to momentarily preventrotation of said drum and beam.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname this 20th day of December, 1929. I

J OACHIM GIARDINO.

